Michelle Williams continues to expand her brand and make a name for herself in the entertainment industry with a new reality series, My Sister’s Keeper. Produced and distributed by Entertainment One (eOne), the series will follow Williams’ journey of writing and recording her third Gospel album, and other aspects of her life.

“I am very thrilled about this opportunity, to extend into television with the eOne family as well, with this series,” she said in a release.

“Working together on my new gospel album and television series, I am excited to share with everyone a behind-the-scenes look at the inspiration and journey of recording for the album, performing, fun family times and other unforgettable experiences out together with my dear sisters.”

One of those sisters sang alongside Williams in a gospel group, United Harmony. Destiny’s Child fans may remember a mini reunion that Williams had during an interview with Ananda Lewis on MTV’s TRL. Fans will have to watch the show to see what musical surprises, if any, the Williams sisters may be cooking up.

“We’re very excited to expand upon our relationship with Michelle on this new collaboration that will provide fans with a peek into her everyday life,” said Tara Long, Senior Vice President of U.S. Alternative Programming.

“eOne’s versatility across all pillars of entertainment from music, film and television through development, production and distribution enables us to offer comprehensive multi-platform opportunities for our partners.”

Williams’ career in entertainment spawns more than a decade. She got her start as a background singer for R&B singer Monica in 1999 and joined Destiny’s Child in 2000.  Alongside Beyoncé Knowles and Kelly Rowland, Williams traveled the globe, selling out shows and collecting major music awards. In 2002, however, she branched out and forged a solo career.

On April 16, 2002 Williams released Heart to Yours via Sanctuary Records and Columbia Records. The album was well received by critics and performed marginally well on the music charts. Do You Know followed in 2004 and featured appearances by former band mates Knowles and Rowland. Knowles and younger sister Solange also wrote and produced on the album. Again, the album received positive reviews. The album did not perform as well as its predecessor though. In 2008 Williams ventured from gospel music and issued a dance/pop album titled Unexpected.  The album was a commercial disappointment. It is Williams’ lowest selling album to date.

In 2003 Williams made her Broadway debut in Aida, replacing Grammy-winning singer Toni Braxton in the lead role. The year 2007 saw Williams star in Oprah Winfrey’s The Color Purple, followed by a ground breaking, historical portrayal as Roxie Hart in Chicago in 2009. Williams is the first woman of color to take on the lead role. In 2011, Williams made a brief departure from the Broadway stage to act in a David E. Talbert play, What My Husband Doesn’t Know. Broadway fans saw Williams return to them in 2013 with a role in Fela!

In addition to being a singer, songwriter and actress, Williams is also a philanthropist, designer and a minority owner of the WNBA’s Chicago Sky.

Image Courtesy : Michelle Williams

The article Michelle Williams to Star in New “My Sister’s Keeper” appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Kelly Rowland and Diggy Simmons will be joining the BET family. According to online sources, Rowland, a former member of the multi-platinum selling girl group Destiny’s Child, has been selected to star in a comedy pilot titled, “What Would Dylan Do?” Rowland’s character, Dylan, is a relationship blogger who lives with a group of friends in Los Angeles.

This will be Rowland’s first leading role in an original series; however, it is not the entertainer’s first time acting. Her television and film credits include ‘The Hughley’s,’ ‘Girlfriends,’ ‘The Game,’ ‘Freddie vs. Jason’ and ‘The Seat Filler.’ Rounding out the cast are Gabrielle Dennis (Cherise), Melanie Liburd (Brooke) and Brandon Scott (Ryan).

Warren Hutcherson will serve as executive producer for “Dylan”. He is an accomplished scriptwriter (“Saturday Night Live” and “Living Single”) and producer (“The Parenthood,” “Moesha,” “The Bernie Mac Show,” “Just Jordan” and “Everybody Hates Chris”). Julian Breece of BET’s online series, Buppies, will write and co-executive produce the show.

Diggy Simmons will star in a yet-to-be-titled project helmed by husband/wife duo Salim Akil and Mara Brock Akil. Deadline reports that the two-hour pilot will be “a fresh and edgy look at Diggy, his life as a blogger, and the close group of loyal friends who hold him down on his rise to the top.” Simmons will play the lead, Blake, and will be joined by Allan Maldonado (Manny), Teyana Taylor (Tae), Chris Brew (Dot), Bria Murphy (Nia) and Stephanie Charles (Sheri).

Salim Akil and Mara Brock Akil will executive produce the pilot, while Salim will also take on the role of director. The twosome has a long and successful history in the television and film industry. Akil began working on the successful Showtime series ”Soulfood” as a writer and worked his way up to Executive Producer. He has also written and produced independent films as well as feature films, such as ‘Sparkle’ starring Whitney Houston and Jordin Sparks, which he also directed.

Brock Akil was a writer for “Moesha,” starring Brandy, for four seasons before taking on duties as supervising producer and writer on The Jamie Foxx Show in 1999. She went on to create and executive produce, alongside Kelsey Grammer, the hit series “Girlfriends” in 2000. ”The Game,” a spinoff of “Girlfriends,” was also created and executive produced by Brock Akil.

BET networks, who has long been criticized for displaying ‘shallow content’, has steeped its game up in recent years. Many feel that the transformation began when the network picked up “The Game,” which had been cancelled by UPN. Whatever the case may be, the network is showing no signs of deterring from the new direction.

“Dylan” and the Diggy Simmons project have the potential to join a line-up that includes “The Game” starring Hosea Chanchez, “Reed Between the Lines” starring Malcolm-Jamal Warner, and the “Real Husbands of Hollywood” starring Kevin Hart.

Image Courtesy of  Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

The article Kelly Rowland, Diggy Simmons: Coming to TV Screens Near You appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Mýa and Michelle will design new collections for Ghanaian clothing brand Koshie O as a part of “The Koshie O Woman” campaign. The campaign celebrates strong, confident, independent women who possess the ability to multi-task while remaining fashionable. The singers will co-design and name the pieces along with founder and Creative Director of Koshie O, Nina Baksmaty. As part of the Spring/Summer 2013 collection, the pieces will be available for purchase in July 2012 and will be available to consumers in Spring 2013. “The Koshie O Woman” campaign will feature many more celebrity women who embody what the brand represents. Fans will be allowed to follow the process via social media networks.

While neither has been extremely vocal about the projects, which are still in the beginning stages, Michelle recently took to her twitter to say, “Bout to hop on a design call w/Koshie O. Designing some new clothes…..line will be out next Spring. This is a COLLABORATION for charity!” A percentage of the profits from the sale of this unique capsule collection, which will feature custom prints, will be donated to Mercy Corps, a global aid agency involved in helping populations stricken by tragic events in over 40 countries around the world.

Nina has stated that she is sure that the public is going to love what Mýa and Michelle will contribute to Koshie O. She says, “The whole Koshie O. team is excited to be working with Mya. We absolutely love her talent and her fashion and we strongly believe that Koshie O. and Mya are going to create magic together.” On working with Michelle, Nina states, “It is such an honor to have Michelle Williams design pieces for Koshie O. She has been an inspiration of mine from her Destiny’s Child days.”

Koshie O “integrates African themes and aesthetics with modern designs,” according to its website. Founder Nina Baksmaty, who is Lebanese and Ghanaian, was raised in Ghana, but was educated and currently resides in the United States of America. It was her Ghanaian upbringing among traditional dress makers and artisans, as well as being in the presence of her designer mother, which fueled her desire to be a designer.

In 2010, Nina launched Koshie O and has since been featured in the Washington Post and Upscale Magazine, and has garnered mentions from Fox 5 News. Singer Ledisi, as well as model and reality television star Cynthia Bailey, are among the numerous women who proudly wear Koshie O.

Image Courtesy of  Mya

The article Mýa and Michelle Williams Add Designer to Their Resumes appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Music World Gospel celebrates its 10th Anniversary this year. An imprint of Music World Music, it was founded in 2002 by Mathew Knowles, President and CEO of Music World Entertainment, and is currently the largest owned and operated African American Gospel label in the world. Music World Gospel’s 10th anniversary celebration coincides with the 20th Anniversary celebration of Music World Entertainment.

In 2001, as the ladies of Destiny’s Child transitioned into their solo careers, one of Michelle Williams’ dreams was to record gospel and inspirational music. Knowles decided to establish a faith-based label for Williams’ recordings, as well as other projects in that genre, and the next year, established the Spirit Rising Music label, now known as Music World Gospel.

In March of that year, Williams released her first gospel recording, the GRAMMY-winning Hearts to Yours, which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart. Hearts to Yours eventually became 2002′s biggest selling album of that genre in the U.S., selling over 210,000 copies. Williams also landed in Billboard magazine’s year-end issue as the #5 Top Gospel Albums Artist, and the CD, Hearts to Yours, was #6 on the Top Gospel Albums chart. Williams’ follow-up album, Do You Know, was released in 2004 and debuted at #2 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart.

Although Knowles’ primary focus was on the pop and R&B genres, he periodically released key projects under the faith-based imprint, including the soundtrack from Fighting Temptations, which spent four weeks at #1 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart. Knowles signed Pastor Rudy Rasmus to the label in 2005 as Music World Gospel Ambassador.

Affectionately known as Pastor Rudy, he co-pastors St. John’s Church, located in downtown Houston, with his wife Juanita. St. John’s is one of the most culturally diverse congregations in the country, where every week people of every social and economic background share the same pew. Since 1992, the church’s membership has grown from nine to more than 12,000 people, including 4,000 homeless or formerly homeless individuals.

On October 17, 2010, Pastor Rudy’s Love Revolution premiered on SIRIUS XM Radio’s Praise Channel.  The one-hour weekly radio show features music selected by Pastor Rudy, uplifting conversation with the Pastor and his special guests, and a regular segment, “Ask Pastor Rudy,” in which Pastor Rudy answers questions from his listeners. The show airs live each Sunday at 12:00 p.m. EST (SIRIUS channel 64 and XM channel 64) and re-airs every Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. EST.

In fall 2007, Trin-i-tee 5:7 (then a trio) signed with Spirit Rising Music, which released the group’s critically-acclaimed fourth album, T57, which debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart. “Listen,”the hit single from the project, graced Billboard’s Hot 100 R&B Airplay chart and was one of the biggest gospel radio hits of 2007-2008.

The album went on to win two prestigious Gospel Music Association’s Dove Awards, and a GRAMMY nomination, which resulted in Trin-i-tee 5:7 being spotlighted, alongsideAretha Franklin, BeBe Winans, Israel & New Breed and the Clark Sisters, on the 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards broadcast.

In 2009, Knowles’ interest and focus shifted primarily to Music World Gospel, and he released the inaugural CD of gospel newcomer Brian Courtney Wilson, who was touted as one of gospel music’s contemporary break-through artists of 2010, and was one of Music World Gospel’s great success stories of that year.

The three-time Gospel Music Association Dove Award nominee’s CD, Just Love, entered at #2 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart and #6 on Billboard’s Top Christian Albums chart. The CD remained at #1 on Christian Music Trade Association’s Inspirational Albums chart for 52 weeks. Since its release in June 2009, the CD has held steady in the Top 20 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart for over 90 weeks—longer than any other CD title on Billboard’s Top 50 that year [2010].

Music World Gospel relaunched, Just Love Deluxe Edition, and the CD re-entered on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart at #3.   Just Love made music chart history. Wilson was the only artist to have four active singles ["All I Need,"  "Already Here," "Just Love" and "Awesome God"] on Billboard’s Gospel charts, and all have peaked in the Top 5, 10 and 15 positions [2009/2010].

His first single release, “All I Need,” was the longest-running single at that time, charting 92 weeks on Billboard’s Hot Gospel Songs chart. In September 2010, Wilson received the Gospel Music Heritage Month Rising Artist Award. In early 2011, he received a nomination for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Gospel Album of the Year (Traditional and Contemporary).

In Billboard magazine’s 2010 year-end issue, Music World Gospel held Top 5 and Top 10 positions on the gospel charts, and the label ranked on nine of the 11 charts.  Music World Gospel was #4 on the Hot Gospel Songs Imprint chart, ranked #6 as the Hot Gospel Songs Label and was #9 on the Top Gospel Albums Labels chart.

In 2010, Knowles signed several artists, including Juanita Bynum, and Micah Stampley. In 2011, Music World Gospel signed other key talent such as Vanessa Bell Armstrong, and entered into an exclusive recording agreement with BET Networks and its premiere brand Sunday Best, the award-winning weekly gospel music competition projects.

Under the agreement, the label signed Season 3 and 4 winners Le’Andria Johnson and Amber Bullock along with Season 3 and 4 runner-up contestants Andrea Helms, and Elder Goldwire. The agreement also includes future season winners and contestants. Through a partnership with BET, Music World Gospel has released two highly-anticipated debut projects: Johnson’s The Awakening of Le’Andria Johnson and Bullock’s Thank You.

The Awakening of Le’Andria Johnson debuted at #1 on multiple music charts, including both the Billboard Top Gospel Albums and the Top Christian/Gospel Albums charts. The CD also debuted at #1 on the Christian Music Trade Association’s Current Gospel Overall chart. It spent nine weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart, and remains in the Top 5 for over 15 weeks.

Le’Andria also received her first GRAMMY nomination for Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music performance for her debut single, “Jesus.” Amber Bullock’sThank You also debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Album chart.

In addition to the Sunday Best brand releases, Music World Gospel released GRAMMY nominated, Stellar Award and Gospel Music Associations’ Dove Award winners Trin-i-tee 5:7′s first project as a duo,Angel & Chanelle, which debuted at #1 on both Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart and the Top Christian/Gospel Albums chart.

The CD also entered at #2 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums
chart, #5 on the Independent chart and #19 on the Billboard 200. Trin-i-tee 5:7 received their second GRAMMY nomination for Best Gospel Album for Angel & Chanelle, which is the group’s 7th recording to date.

Music World Gospel’s other notable compilation projects include ESSENCE Gospel, Ultimate Gospel, the Most Powerful Voices, The Gospel Superfest, Spirit Rising and The Pastor Rudy Experience.

In 2011, Music World Gospel experienced a revenue increase of more than 115 percent over 2010, and the label moved to the Top 5 on Billboard’s magazine year-end Gospel Albums Labels chart, from #9 in 2010. This year’s GRAMMY nominees, Trin-i-tee 5:7 and Le’Andria Johnson, also led the way on Billboard’s year-end charts.

Their current CD projects, The Awakening of Le’Andria Johnson and Angel & Chanelle,landed at #7 and #13 respectively on the Gospel Albums chart. Le’Andria and Trin-i-tee 5:7 were listed at #8 and #10 respectively on the Gospel Albums Artists chart. Trin-i-tee 5:7′s hit single, “Over and Over” came in at #9 on the Gospel Songs chart, and the song producer,  PJ Morton landed at #8 on the Gospel  Songs Producers chart.

Looking ahead, Music World Gospel is expanding the label’s release schedule in 2012 to include over 45 new releases, and will be making other faith-based acquisitions, which will be announced in the coming months.

Faraways / Shutterstock.com

The article Mathew Knowles’ Music World Gospel Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.